Major Wright

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT MAJOR WRIGHT - PAGE 4

Part of the Bears' offseason plan was leaving space for young draft choices to take on expanded roles. Here are the six players being counted on to step up. Player, age, NFL year Gabe Carimi, 23, first: By not signing a veteran tackle, the Bears cleared the path for Carimi to start on the right side. Kellen Davis, 25, fourth: The Greg Olsen trade is expected to result in a more significant role for Davis. Lance Louis, 26, third: The Bears had options and still have options at guard, but it appears Louis is a starter unless he plays himself out of the lineup.

Situation: The Bears lead 13-6 with 9:17 remaining in the game and are trying to stave off a late rally. The Rams have a second down on their own 39. Result: Major Wright intercepts Sam Bradford and returns it 45 yards for a touchdown. The tape shows: Bradford takes a three-step drop and throws quickly to Danny Amendola, who runs a slant from the left of the formation. The Rams have been running a heavy dose of slants and curls, so cornerback Tim Jennings has no reason to give much cushion and is sitting on the route.

Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman sat out practice Wednesday with a knee injury while nickel back D.J. Moore, who missed the last two games with a sprained left ankle, returned to practice on a limited basis. Bears coach Lovie Smith said Tillman was expected to be able to practice Thursday and play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Solider Field. Moore, walking without a limp, said he is questionable for Sunday's game versus the Chiefs. Corey Graham has played the nickel in Moore's absence and has three interceptions in the last three games.

Bears strong safety Chris Harris, who lost his starting job to Major Wright, is inactive for Sunday's game against the Vikings, according to a team source. Harris struggled during last week's loss to the Lions but figured he'd still dress in a reserve role. The coaches obviously figured otherwise. A hamstring injury sidelined Harris for three games, but he claims to be healthy. With Harris expected to be in street clothes, Wright and rookie Chris Conte will start at the safety spots with Brandon Meriweather and Craig Steltz as the reserves.

Major Wright took out another teammate. But this time, the end result was a much less severe. The Bears safety collided with receiver Devin Hester down the middle during Friday's second training camp practice. Hester remained on the ground for a second then hobbled off after tweaking his right ankle. He returned to action after a few plays off and immediately caught a pass. Hester downplayed the injury. "Just kinda collided, both of us going for the ball," Hester said. "It just something that happens.

Too hot: Kahlil Bell Despite two fumbles, Bell proved worthy of serious consideration as Matt Forte's backup next season. He surpassed the 100-yard mark for the first time in his career with some tough runs, caught a few passes, picked up blitzes and even made a tackle after an interception. Too cold: Major Wright He returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a sprained shoulder, and the rust showed. Wright got beat deep on Aaron Rodgers' 55-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson and whiffed on a tackle, allowing Ryan Grant to break loose for a 24-yard gain.

Too hot: Craig Steltz Replacing the injured Major Wright at strong safety, Steltz stepped in with 10 tackles, topping his previous career high by four, and a forced fumble. He might not be the most athletic safety on the roster, but Steltz showed he's a sure tackler and might find himself in the starting lineup, depending on the status of Wright's shoulder. Too cold: Roy Williams Yes, Caleb Hanie was off with his throws, but the one he threw to Williams over the middle was right in the receiver's hands.

And then there was one. The Chicago Bears signed defensive tackle Stephen Paea to a four-year contract late Thursday night and Friday morning they announced safety Chris Conte has also come to terms on a four-year deal meaning first-round draft pick Gabe Carimi is the only remaining unsigned pick. Paea, a second rounder from Oregon State, is expected to compete for a spot in the rotation immediately. Conte, the club's third-round pick from Cal, will work behind Major Wright at free safety and should vie for a role on special teams.

The Bears continue to re-sign their own free agents. Safety Craig Steltz, a key special teams contributor and capable starter on defense, has agreed to terms on a two-year contract. Terms of the deal were not immediately available. Steltz follows defensive end Israel Idonije and tight end Kellen Davis as players the Bears have kept in the fold. The Bears also placed the $7.7 million franchise tag on running back Matt Forte and extended a quality offer to restricted free-agent running back Kahlil Bell.